1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a secondary battery with a protection circuit module.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent rapid advances in the electronic, communication and computer industries have increased the use of portable electronic devices. Most of such portable electronic devices employ rechargeable secondary batteries as power sources.
Secondary battery packs are widely used at present in portable electronic devices. A typical battery pack has a structure in which a bare cell serving as an electric energy source and a protection circuit module (PCM) controlling the charging/discharging of the bare cell are combined into one unit. The protection circuit module usually includes a circuit board, on which various kinds of circuit devices are mounted, and electrode tabs coupled to the circuit board. The electrode tabs are joined to the bare cell by laser welding to electrically connect the circuit board and the bare cell. There is, however, the risk that the protection circuit module may be separated from the bare cell when the welded joints are damaged by an external impact. Thus, there is a need for a protection circuit module with an improved structure.